I find it a bit odd that my MIL “heard” her grandma was Indian, but doesn’t KNOW that for absolute certain. Geesh, I know exactly what my grandparents were.
My great grandfather was injured in a farming accident and paralyzed from the waist down. My Great Uncle Gilbert and my Grandmother were conceived after this accident.
My Great Uncle Gilbert apperantly embraced his Native American heritage and spent most of his life living with Native Americans. In his wedding picture he is seen wearing a head dress sitting on a white horse while his bride is standing beside him in clothing that appears to be made from buffalo hide. Gilbert died when I was young and I never really got to know him... I never had any idea why I had a Great Uncle who looked like and lived with Native Americans.
My Grandmother and Great Uncle Gilbert both had black hair... he had brown eyes... hers were hazel. The older children had blue eyes and blonde hair like my great grandmother, her husband and most other Norwegians. The two younger children were born at home and my great grandparents didn’t record Gilbert’s birth for 9 months after he was born.
None of this was discussed around my brother or sisters or myself while we were growing up. It was only brought to our attention recently. Shortly before my Great Aunt Lillian died she began talking about the situation. At first we thought it was just dementia, but we started looking over the old photos and the pieces seem to fit together.
I think long ago children were important to the survival of a farming family especially with the man of the house suffering from a severe disability. The younger two children may not have been “accidents”.
Mules always claim their ancestors are horses. The occasional donkey shows up at the family reunions though.